Talking Gourds: ‘Stories & Poems,” All About Ricegrass & Wolves, 5/15!

08 May Talking Gourds: ‘Stories & Poems,” All About Ricegrass & Wolves, 5/15!

The Lone Cone Library has teamed up with the Talking Gourds Poetry Project to host a “Stories & Poems” performance series the third Wednesday of each month. The May 15th “Stories & Poems” features two presenters: Bill Wilson of Norwood talking about wolves and Cole Crocker-Bedford of Slick Rock telling a story about Indian Ricegrass. May 15, starting at 6 p.m.

For more information, text 970-729-0220 or email Goodtimes at art@tellurideinstitute.org or visit the Talking Gourds website: www.tellurideinstitute.org/talking-gourds

Go here for more on Talking Gourds.

Bill Wilson, courtesy Talking Gourds.

Cole Crocker-Bedford of Slick Rock, courtesy Talking Gourds.

“Wilson gave a wonderful presentation in Naturita at the Stories & Poems last month,” said Art Goodtimes, Talking Gourds Poetry Project director. “He stimulated a good discussion on wolves. So, I wanted him to do a similar thing in Norwood. Bring your stories and questions about wolves to the evening.”

Crocker-Bedford is a retired scientist who’s lived in San Miguel County for many years.

“He recently shared with me a fascinating story about native and introduced species of plants in the western part of the county along the Dolores River,” Goodtimes explained.

A Forest Service employee for many years and a wildlife expert, specializing in goshawks and prairie dogs, Crocker-Bedford has been lead author on almost 20 peer-reviewed papers, was associate editor for the “Journal of Raptor Research,” and has worked on multiple intra- and interagency projects throughout his career in the Dept. of Agriculture.

Crocker-Bedford got his B.S. in Forest Services from the University of Washington, an M.S. in Wildlife Ecology at Utah State University and spent 18 months there at a Ph.D. program in Range Science. Currently he is working on the ecological restoration of the 280-acre preserve he and his wife Kara-Lynn own near Slick Rock.

“Weed cover has decreased by 99%,” he noted, “while native grass and forb cover has increased as much as 500 fold, depending on the location.”

It’s a story from his experiences there that he will be sharing, along with Wilson’s presentation on wolves.

At “Stories & Poems,” there will be a short Q &A period after each presentation. Following that is a passing of the gourd, where community members are encouraged to share stories and poems – their own, or others’ that they know and like – preferably this month about wolves and native plants like Indian ricegrass.